Quick Answer
Thinking “it won’t happen to me” is a risky assumption for any business, and the national numbers do not support it. One in three Australian workers has experienced workplace sexual harassment in the past five years, and 188 workers died from traumatic injuries at work in 2024. This post sets out those numbers and what to have in place before an incident happens. It is the second of the seven most common workplace compliance mistakes. This is general information, not legal advice.
In this guide
In life and in business, we are often blindsided by ignorantly thinking that it won’t happen to me.
Unfortunately, in today’s business environment, it is no longer a case of ‘if’ it will happen, but rather ‘when’ it will happen. And ‘when’ it happens, if your organisation does not have the right workplace training, policies and reporting in place, then you may be subject to some or all of the following impacts.
Why “It Won’t Happen to Me” Does Not Hold Up
Did you know?
- Harassment and workplace bullying caused 33.2% of serious workers compensation claims for mental stress in 2023-24, according to Safe Work Australia
- 1 in 3 workers experienced workplace sexual harassment in the last 5 years, including 41% of women and 26% of men (Australian Human Rights Commission, 2022)
- The Australian Human Rights Commission receives close to 3,000 complaints of discrimination and human rights breaches each year, around 30% more than before the pandemic (AHRC Annual Report 2024-25)
- 188 workers died from traumatic injuries at work in Australia in 2024 (Safe Work Australia)
- Safe Work Australia’s most recent full estimate put the cost of work-related injury and disease at $61.8 billion a year, 4.1% of GDP, in 2012-13
- Breaches in safety, invasion of privacy and incidents of bullying, sexual harassment and discrimination can occur in any workplace, regardless of its size
Figures updated October 2026.
Common sense tells us that the metrics given in this article are not something that we want happening in our workplace, or in any Australian workplace.
What to Have in Place Before It Happens
However, too often, we do not take the time out of our busy work schedule to plan an appropriate workplace compliance message to our people so that they are educated around health and safety, privacy and fair work practices such as workplace bullying, sexual harassment and discrimination.
Unfortunately, even for businesses that do educate their staff, they often do not back it up with appropriate workplace policies to manage situations when incidents arise. Nor are they able to report on which staff have completed compliance training if they are put in front of a tribunal to settle claims of legal liability.
If you are not sure where to start, think of three things: training so people know what is expected, workplace policies that say what to do when something goes wrong, and records that show both are in place. That is what you will be asked for after an incident, so it is worth having before one. Mistake #3 looks at what the right protection includes.
Nobody really loves doing compliance, however, I think you would agree, that is never a reason to allow yourself to become complacent and subscribe to the mindset of ‘it will never happen to me’, because as soon as we go down this path, we’re sure to be surprised, in the most unpleasant of ways!
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Why do businesses assume a workplace incident won’t happen to them?
Inside one business, serious incidents are rare enough that a few quiet years can feel like proof. Across the country they are common, as the figures above show. The size of a workplace does not remove the risk, because one person’s conduct on one day is enough to cause an incident.
2. What does “it won’t happen to me” thinking look like in a workplace?
Common signs are policies nobody has reviewed in years, training treated as optional or a one-off at induction, no clear way to raise a concern, and no record of who has completed what. Each of these is easy to put off while nothing has gone wrong.
3. Do we still have obligations if we have never had an incident?
Yes. Work health and safety duties require you to eliminate or minimise risks so far as is reasonably practicable, whether or not anything has happened yet. The positive duty under the Sex Discrimination Act also requires employers to take steps to prevent sexual harassment and related conduct before a complaint is made.
Next in the series: Mistake #3: most businesses are not informed of what is the right protection.
This article is general information only and is not legal advice. Obligations vary by state and territory and by industry, so seek advice from a qualified professional for your situation.
